Hey everyone, I’m new to real estate investing and just getting started here in Buffalo, New York. I currently work full time and I’m trying to learn as much as I can about buying my first property, house hacking, and investment opportunities in the area.
I’d really appreciate any advice from experienced investors on:
How you got started
Best areas around Buffalo to invest in
Whether to start with multifamily, fixer uppers, or rentals
How to find investors, mentors, or financing options
I’m also open to connecting with local investors or anyone willing to share knowledge. Just trying to learn, network, and take the right first steps. Thanks everyone.
@Muhamed Saad You are asking the right questions and it is smart that you are focusing on learning before jumping into a deal. I would also recommend joining a local REIA group in the Buffalo area because that is one of the best ways to meet investors, lenders, contractors and potential mentors. House hacking a small multifamily is often a great first step if the numbers make sense and you buy in a stable area.
Hey Muhamed welcome!
Buffalo is a great market also very competitive I would recommend you to learn the ins and outs of the whole market and once you’re ready, you can check out 2 to 4 units range there there’s a lot of good deals there
@Mendy J. I see that I'm I've been just staying in the market seeing deals and seeing what's on listing and what's going on with the market and thank you for your comment
Since you’re just getting started, one thing that might help is to talk to a few local lenders early on. Even if you’re not ready to buy yet, they’ll tell you what you actually qualify for and what a deal would need to look like for you. That tends to clear up a lot pretty quickly.
Also, when you’re looking at properties, try comparing 2 or 3 similar ones at the same time instead of just one. It makes it easier to see what’s priced right and what isn’t.
For finding people, you can learn a lot just by reaching out to agents who list multifamily properties or rentals and asking what they’re seeing from investors right now. You’ll start picking up patterns.
You’re in a good spot just getting around it early.
I appreciate the advice honestly. I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can before jumping into my first deal. I definitely need to start talking to local lenders and agents more instead of just watching videos online.
Right now the biggest thing that feels unclear is figuring out how to actually fund the first deal and build connections with investors in Buffalo. I’m also still learning how to properly analyze properties and know if it’s actually a good deal or not.
I’m excited to learn though and appreciate you taking the time to help.
@Muhamed Saad welcome! You are starting in the right place. I’m running out the door at the moment but would love to connect with you. I got my start by house hacking (which I still do) and in value-Add small multifamily projects. After doing that for about a decade, I got my real estate license so I could help other people do the same. Would be happy to chat anytime even if it’s to point you to other resources. 
Hi, Best advice: don’t try to learn everything at once. Focus first on understanding financing, analyzing deals, and identifying bad deals quickly. A lot of new investors lose time because every property looks like an opportunity at first.